Who Represents South Shields: Your Local Politicians

Knowing who represents you and how to contact them is one of the most useful things you can do as a resident. Here is a practical guide to the politicians and council structures that serve South Shields.

Your Member of Parliament

South Shields is a parliamentary constituency represented by one MP in the House of Commons. Emma Lewell-Buck of the Labour Party has held the seat since winning a by-election in 2013. She was the first woman and the first person born in the constituency to represent South Shields in Parliament.

Before entering Parliament, Lewell-Buck served as a South Tyneside councillor from 2004 to 2013, holding the role of Lead Member for Adult Social Care and Health. Her constituency office handles casework on issues including benefits, housing, immigration, and local services.

You can contact your MP through the UK Parliament website at members.parliament.uk or by writing to the constituency office.

Best for: Emma Lewell-Buck (Labour) has represented South Shields in Parliament since 2013 — the first woman and first locally born person to hold the seat.

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South Tyneside Council

South Shields is part of the Metropolitan Borough of South Tyneside, which also covers Jarrow, Hebburn, Boldon, and Cleadon. The council is based at South Shields Town Hall on Westoe Road.

South Tyneside Council is responsible for the services that most directly affect daily life: bins and waste collection, council tax, housing, social care, roads, planning, schools, and parks.

Following the all-out elections in May 2026 — the first in over twenty years, after a major review of the borough's electoral wards — the council is now under Reform UK majority control, with 41 of the 54 seats. The remaining seats are held by the Green Party (10), independents (2), and Labour (1). Councillor Paul Mackings was formally appointed as council leader at the annual meeting on 19 May 2026.

Best for: South Tyneside Council has 54 councillors across 18 wards, three per ward. Following the May 2026 all-out elections, the council is under Reform UK majority control.

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Your Local Councillors

Each of South Tyneside's 18 wards is represented by three councillors. South Shields is covered by several wards, and you can find your specific councillors by entering your postcode on the South Tyneside Council website at southtyneside.gov.uk.

Councillors hold surgeries and can be contacted about local issues including planning, antisocial behaviour, roads, street lighting, and parks. They are often the most direct route to getting a local problem resolved.

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How to Contact the Council

South Tyneside Council can be reached on 0191 427 1717 or through the online portal at portal.southtyneside.info. For specific services:

• Council tax: 0191 424 7217
• Housing repairs: 0191 424 7200
• Adult social care: 0191 424 7400
• Children's services: 0191 424 6999
• Bins and waste: report online at southtyneside.gov.uk

The council's main offices are at South Shields Town Hall, Westoe Road, and Clarendon in Hebburn.

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Mayoral and Ceremonial Roles

South Tyneside has a ceremonial mayor who chairs full council meetings and represents the borough at civic events. The mayor is elected annually by councillors and is a non-political role during the term of office.

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For more on council services, see our South Tyneside Council Services Guide. For the town's broader story, see the History of South Shields.